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In sign of U.S. alarm, Washington and Moscow begin talks over Syria conflict

LONDON — Defense chiefs from the United States and Russia held their first direct talks in more than a year Friday, reflecting Washington’s mounting alarm about Russian military escalation in Syria and how it might affect the fight against the Islamic State.

The 50-minute phone call between Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu caps weeks of concern about Moscow’s moves to make its military support to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad more effective.

The talks took place as the first Russian fighter jets appeared at a military base on Syria’s coast, adding to a growing arsenal of artillery and tanks as well as military personnel that Moscow has provided in recent weeks to its key ally on the Mediterranean.